Max Greyserman loves everything about playing in Japan.

Well, except for the last 45 minutes of last year’s Baycurrent Classic final round. Greyserman led on the back nine that Sunday, only to lose on the 72nd hole to Nico Echavarria, who stuffed his approach shot close and made birdie to best Greyserman by one.

The tournament changed venues, shifting southwest 60 miles down to Yokohama Country Club, but the same Greyserman is back. The American, playing in the first group Thursday, fired an opening-round 67 to take an early co-lead at the Baycurrent Classic, which moved up tee times to avoid potential impacts of a typhoon lurking off the coast of the North Pacific Ocean.

“I love playing in Japan. It's a great culture, respectful people, respectful fans,” Greyserman said. “... So it's fun being over here. Good food too, I'm not going to complain about that.”

There was little to quibble with his opening round, either. Greyserman said the conditions were “very, very difficult” as the wind kicked up and gave the otherwise gettable design some serious teeth. Greyserman made the turn 3-under, then canned a 40-foot birdie on the 11th to take the lead. He dropped a shot at the 12th, but quickly got it back, holing a 19-footer for birdie at the 15th.

“In those difficult conditions, I'll take that any day,” said Greyserman.

Greyserman was effusive in his praise of Yokohama Country Club following the round. The course was renovated by well-respected designers Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw just over a decade ago. With short grass around the greens and heavily sloped greens, Greyserman compared its playing style to Pinehurst No. 2.

“I think it's maybe more fun to play and there's more creativity,” he said. “It's kind of like linksy golf around the greens a little bit. Yeah, it's a fun test, a different test. I think it might be one of the best courses we play all year, to be honest.”

Perhaps that affinity for the course can propel Greyserman to his first TOUR win. His near miss at the Baycurrent Classic marked his third, and final, runner-up finish of 2024. He added another earlier this year, losing to Aldrich Potgieter in a playoff at the Rocket Classic.

At 58th in the FedExCup, Greyserman’s status is locked up for 2026, but he will try to remain in the top-60 to guarantee entry into two of the first Signature Events next year – the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.

Greyserman is on his way to do that, and more, as he searches for redemption in the Land of the Rising Sun.

“Nico got it done that week,” Greyserman said, “so maybe I can get it done this week.”